Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, was awarded a Legislative Leadership Award by the environmental group on Monday at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř.

The award, along with a book of nature photographs, was presented for Hanger’s work on Senate Bill 418, which “eradicate[d] a major tax barrier to solar energy,” according to the group’s announcement.

The bill extended tax exemptions to solar panels so that the equipment cannot be taxed by local governments as “machinery and tools.”

Solar energy equipment is now classified as “pollution control equipment” and exempt from local taxation. The bill was signed into law in March.

Republicans and environmental groups often butt heads over issues ranging from land conservation to funding for alternative sources of energy.

Hanger was honored on the balcony of EMU’s Campus Center building, overlooking the . The panels, installed in 2010, are operated by Staunton-based solar development company .

, founder of Secure Futures and professor of at EMU, said Monday night that solar power is the “fastest-growing industry in the United States.”

Smith said Hanger’s legislation will help support that growth.

“It’s important to align yourself with a very seasoned and very professional legislator … who can work on both sides of the aisle,” Smith said.

On receiving his award – made out of recycled glass – Hanger said human beings could be resistant to change, but need to be able to adapt.

Hanger noted the importance of coal to Virginia’s history, but said the state has survived similar changes in the past.

“There was life after tobacco,” he said, referring to a former top industry that has declined.

Several of the Sierra Club’s members thanked Hanger for his work and remarked on his “courage” in working with them.

The Sierra Club claims to be the “nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.”

During the 2012 election cycle, the Sierra Club political action committee contributed more than $456,000 to congressional candidates nationwide – 99 percent of which went to Democratic candidates, according to the campaign finance tracking website OpenSecrets.org.

The remaining 1 percent went to independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has described himself as a “democratic socialist.”

In 2013, the state chapter of the Sierra Club spent more than $468,000 in support of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s successful gubernatorial campaign, according to the , which tracks campaign funds for state elections.

Waving off concerns that some in his party might be upset with him working with the environmental group, Hanger said that the bill removes an impediment to business.

“I see it as leveling the playing field,” he said.

In addition to Hanger, eight other Legislative Leadership awards were given out this year by the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club: four to Republicans and four to Democrats, according to an April press release from the group.

Courtesy of the Daily News Record, July 21, 2014.

Panelists will discuss how sustainable development promotes security and economic opportunity in Virginia, as well as their shared sense of responsibility to protect God’s creation that has driven their efforts.

WHAT:  Leading for the Common Good through Sustainable Design

°Â±á°ż:ĚýKai Degner, Harrisonburg City Councilman, and , DMin,

, coordinator at EMU

, PhD, director of Human Security at the and EMU professor in the

, PhD, president and CEO, and associate professor of and at EMU

, PhD, professor of and advisor to students at EMU

WHEN: Tuesday, April 22
11:00 a.m. – Panel discussion
12:00 p.m. – Tour of and sustainability features such as , edible landscaping, cistern for campus landscaping, and .

During the first six months of 2012, the 126,000-kilowatt-hour system performed 18 percent over target, meaning it actually brought in closer to 150,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, according to officials.

The system, located atop the , provides about 2.5 percent of the energy the Harrisonburg campus and its approximately 1,500 students consume.

The 126,000 kilowatt-hours the system produces is equivalent to 1.26 million 100-watt light bulbs burning for one hour, said , an assistant professor of at EMU and CEO of the company that owns the solar array, .

But, since being installed in November 2010, the nearly $1 million system has consistently overshot its 126,000-kilowatt-hour annual target, meaning the university will help Secure Futures pay off its purchase of the system more quickly.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised how much better than expected the system has done,” Smith said. “This is because we’ve been blessed with much more sunshine this year. Harrisonburg tends to be a drier area than other parts of the state.”

EMU was able to install the system on campus as part of a 20-year power-performance contract with Secure Futures, a Staunton-based solar energy development company. The company owns and operates the system and EMU pays the company for the energy produced at a price equivalent to the rate the university pays its traditional energy provider, .

According to , vice president for finance at EMU, the university spent about $460,000 on energy during the fiscal year that ended June 30, about $18,400 of which went toward solar energy.

EMU paid in advance for 10 years of the guaranteed output of the system. The university will pay for additional kilowatt hours produced by the system; if the system underperforms, Secure Futures pays EMU for the difference between what had been projected and what’s actually produced.

The partnership is beneficial to EMU, Smith said, because it helps the university increase campus sustainability efforts. Secure Futures will make money from the partnership after the initial setup costs are paid off in 10 to 12 years.

Because EMU is locked in at a certain kilowatt-hour rate with Secure Futures, a cost savings can be realized if utility rates climb in the future.

“We expect that the utility rates will increase at a more rapid rate than what we’re selling power to the university,” said Smith, who declined to provide the agreed rate between Secure Futures and EMU, saying it is a confidential contract.

The opposite statement could also be true, however, if utility rates dropped.

For 2011-12, based on EMU’s 5.7 million kilowatt- hours used and total energy costs, the university paid approximately 7.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for the campus’ energy.

Although the university would be relieved from regular utility rate increases, the contract between EMU and Secure Futures does have an “escalator clause,” meaning the rate charged will increase at a predetermined rate.

That clause is typical of power-purchase agreements, Smith said.

Installing the system, which was the largest in Virginia when it debuted in 2010, was a forward step for EMU, Smith says, in a state not known for having the most solar-friendly policies.

“If we weren’t working with an institution who wanted to be a leader in energy efficiency, it would have been a much more difficult sell,” he said.

The city also has taken steps to encourage more solar energy projects. In 2011, approved a 100 percent tax break for 20 years on tangible personal property related to the development of solar energy.

The exemption, retroactive to July 1, 2010, was designed to encourage more solar-energy development.

“Students today are increasingly looking for colleges and universities that integrate sustainability into the way of doing things,” Smith said. “[The solar array] helps make that sustainability leadership even more visible.”

Courtesy Daily News Record, Sept. 6, 2012

In addition, the solar photovoltaic system has outperformed projections for the entire period since it began operation in November 2010. The university hosts the solar panels, which are owned and operated by Secure Futures, a solar energy development company based in Staunton, Va.

“Solar energy operators project performance of a system based on how much sun they expect to shine on the geographical area where the system is installed,” said Anthony (Tony) Smith, CEO of Secure Futures and assistant professor of business at EMU.

A combination of a mild winter and particularly sunny weather in the Harrisonburg area from February through June contributed to high levels of solar irradiance. Higher than expected sunshine remains a key factor for the strong output of electric power from EMU’s on-campus solar array.

“Many people may not realize that solar irradiance actually varies from one year to the next, based on local weather. Given the amount of sun that the solar panels at Eastern Mennonite received during the first six months of 2012, the system performed significantly better than expected.”

The solar array on campus was the first in Virginia to exceed 100 kilowatts in capacity. Solar energy is a key component of the university’s program to save energy and promote sustainability.

About Secure Futures

Secure Futures L.L.C. offers clean and affordable solar energy generated on-site to colleges and universities, local governments and other institutions operating in the public interest.

Through service agreements, customers can reduce their electricity costs and protect themselves against future price increases from electric utilities without the high up-front cost of installing their own solar power equipment.  Secure Futures is based in Staunton, Va., and may be found online at .

People in the area are invited to the EMU Campus Center Lehman board room, 301, to meet co-directors, s and , current students and learn more. People interested in joining classes virtually should contact mba@emu.edu about how to log in to join the open house virtually.

For more information on the MBA program or to let EMU know you’re coming, call 540-432-4150 or email mba@emu.edu.

In collaboration with , PhD, co-director of the , Deb King and Rich Myers,  presented their case in December 2011 at the International Conference on Management Cases in Delhi, India.

While in India, the group traveled with their spouses to a village in Jaipur, and visited with the Founder-CEO of , a socially responsible business. In addition, they met with faculty and students at two graduate universities in India – and the .

“The visit to Jaipur Rugs Company was a highlight,” said King. “We met with the founder and witnessed his company’s positive impact on the lives of more than 40,000 people who would otherwise struggle to survive. The proprietor’s entire family works to facilitate the production of hand-knotted rugs, all the while offering health care and education to the workers.”

The trip also included visits to the Taj Majal in Agra, traveling to the Amber Fort in Jaipur by elephant and enjoying other sights as part of their tour of India’s Golden Triangle.

Also on the trip was Elizabeth Mast, a December 2011 graduate from Lancaster, Pa. Mast co-authored and published a peer-reviewed case study on Fast Forward Futures with Smith. Together, they presented their case at the conference.

Open House

People in Harrisonburg and around the world are invited to an MBA “open house” on Tuesday, April 10, from 6-7 p.m.

People in the area are invited to the EMU Campus Center Lehman board room, 301, to meet co-directors, s and , current students and learn more. People interested in joining classes virtually should contact mba@emu.edu about how to log in to join the open house virtually.

For more information on the MBA program or to let EMU know you’re coming, call 540-432-4150 or email mba@emu.edu.

Secure Futures guaranteed an annual output of 126,783 kilowatt hours of electricity from the solar photovoltaic array installed in November, 2010, on the roof of EMU’s Sadie Hartzler Library.  The solar panels achieved this milestone earlier this week, a full six weeks ahead of schedule, in time for the autumnal equinox

“The solar panels surpassed all our expectations,” said Loren Swartzendruber, president of EMU. “Not only have they delivered more renewable energy than we anticipated—cutting the university’s power cost—the solar panels have also become a tangible symbol of our commitment to clean energy and a powerful educational tool to encourage our students to become environmental stewards.”

Since beginning operation, the system has offset more than 105,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the carbon reduction of 85 mature white pine trees—or enough energy to brew 2.6 million cups of coffee.

The system consists of 328 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels manufactured by the SunPower Corporation.  Southern Energy Management installed the panels for Secure Futures. At capacity, the system can generate 104.3 kilowatts of electricity, making it the largest solar project in Virginia with enough power to supply two percent of EMU’s average annual energy demand.

“Traditionally, cultures around the world have marked the end of summer with the autumnal equinox. This year, we are fortunate that we can follow their example with a modern twist, capping off the sunny season with a celebration of the exceptional power of solar energy in action,” said Secure Futures CEO Dr. Tony Smith, who also co-directs EMU’s Steward-Leadership MBA Program.

About Secure Futures

Secure Futures L.L.C. offers clean and affordable solar energy generated on-site to colleges and universities, local governments and other institutions operating in the public interest. Through Solar Power Purchase Agreements (SPPAs), customers can reduce their electricity costs and protect themselves against future price increases from electric utilities without the high up-front cost of installing their own solar power equipment.  Secure Futures is based in Staunton, Va., and may be found online at www.securefutures.us.

A short-term summer course at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř, “Stewardship, Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship,” will include field trips in the city of Staunton and in the great outdoors, specifically in the Big Meadows area of Shenandoah National Park.

Dr. Anthony E. (Tony) Smith, associate professor of business and economics and co-director of EMU’s MBA program, will lead the course.

Dr. Smith said the course has three objectives: developing and applying a strategic framework for stewardship design principles in organizations; increasing theoretical and practical understanding of the sources and types of innovation; and developing an understanding of social entrepreneurship and how businesses and nonprofit organizations apply these strategies.

The course will combine field trips, classroom and online discussion and case studies “with a systems approach to stewardship, innovation and social entrepreneurship,” Smith noted.

The class will meet each Thursday evening in, starting on June 2 from 6-10 p.m., and two Saturdays for the daytime field trips, on June 11 and 18.

“Organizations, and people who manage them, shape our world,” Smith said.  “Those who understand and master innovation, stewardship and social entrepreneurship increase their effectiveness as civic and business leaders and as leaders in their own chosen field. That’s the intent of this special course.”

Smith noted that “the field trips enable students to directly engage with entrepreneurs in the city of Staunton and to directly observe how stewardship design principles operate in natural ecologies and how those same principles also apply to human ecologies.”

For more information on the course, contact name Patty Eckard at 540-4320-4150 or email her at eckardp@emu.edu. See for more information about the course and a course syllabus.